


Land Next to Me

by siriuslyrandom8



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Crossover, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fairy tail au, Lots of Angst, Nalu - Freeform, Romance, ill put warnings though!, not following the main plot of the 100, not really sure about side pairings yet tbh, the 100 crossover, this might get graphic violence wise later chapters, this will have some fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-13
Updated: 2017-07-03
Packaged: 2018-11-13 18:43:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11191086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siriuslyrandom8/pseuds/siriuslyrandom8
Summary: Three hundred years since the human race has set foot on Earth, one hundred teen prisoners are sent down with nothing but their wits. Even though she's just as scared as everyone else, Lucy Heartfilia will do anything she can to make sure they survive. FT/the 100 AU!





	1. Whatever The Hell We Want

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a cross over with the 100! I hope to do this justice, and this chapter is pretty similar to ep 1 but after this it's going to get quite different. Notice- I changed 97 years to 300.
> 
> Warning: Impalement. (not very graphic but hey here you go)

_I say, screw fear. I'm telling my own damn story._

_{Bellamy Blake}_

* * *

 

The ground was rough and uneven beneath her feet as she took her first few cautious steps, weary of her new surroundings. Her new home. She relished in the sounds of the leaves crunching with each step, and the feel of the wind on her face.

They were alive.

When the door to the drop ship opened, she didn't know what they were going to face; whether or not they would be hit with radiation and burn and die. She was scared.

But that wasn't the case and she, despite everything, was happy. For the moment at least. They still needed to figure out food, water, shelter, and everything else. For now she would take in the earth—a place she never thought she would get to.

She looked around with wide eyes. Trees loomed above, mesmerizing, with thick branches full of colourful leaves falling every now and then. The sounds of the other prisoners echoed through the forest, so utterly entranced by this new world. A smile quirked the corner of her mouth, slowly breaking into a grin as she took in a deep breath. Fresh air filled her lungs. _Fresh_ air.

It was _heavenly._

"What are we going to do, Lucy?" The sound of her best friend's voice brought her out of her trance, drawing her back into reality. Lucy bit her lip, looking to Levy uncertainly. She fumbled with her bracelet, toying with the keys attached to it.

"I'm not sure, Lev." She looked around at everyone laughing and exploring the ground in excitement, but still staying close to the ship. She figured they were just as scared as she was, even if they weren't showing it.

She spotted Jellal and Wendy—the sister locked up for being born, and the brother who watched as his mother got floated. She pitied them. Her eyes softened as he pulled the young blue-haired girl in for a side hug. At least they were together now.

"Whatever the hell we want," a voice stated confidently from behind Lucy. Turning around, she saw Cana, the girl who had been imprisoned for stealing alcohol.

There were worse things to go down for, she mused. Lucy rolled her eyes and looked up to the grinning brunette.

"We're free from the Ark now, with no one to tell us what we can and can't do, so I say we do _whatever the hell we want_." Cana emphasized at the end, smirking with her hands coming to rest on her hips.

"Cana," Lucy stated forcefully, crossing her arms, "there are one hundred people here, most of us under the age of eighteen." She glanced briefly at Jellal, wondering how he was here. It didn't make sense. "And we don't have enough food or clean water to last a week, let alone months, _if_ we survive that long. Plus, where is everyone going to _sleep_?" Lucy narrowed her eyes, daring Cana to go against her logic. "It's been over three hundred years since anyone has been to Earth. We can't just do _whatever the hell we want._ We need order."

"Order?" Cana laughed, though it wasn't a happy sound. "Fuck order. We're finally free and able to _live_. Don't you want to live, Lucy?"

"Yes. Which is exactly why we need to have a game plan. To establish some basic rules." Cana shook her head, sighing as she turned her back on Lucy.

"That's not living, princess. That's surviving."

Scowling at the nickname, Lucy stomped back to the drop ship to search through what little the Ark had supplied them with. The Chancellor said there was a bunker close by with supplies to last them a few years, they just had to find it with the map that was given to them.

"She's right you know."

Turning, Lucy spotted blue hair and recognized Jellal almost immediately. Licking her lips, she narrowed her eyes before going back to one of the bins and continuing to search through the contents. She already found the map, she just needed to be prepared for the journey. "Why are you even down here Jellal? You're twenty-one. You aren't a guard." Canteen. Protein bars. Knife. They didn't give them much.

And with a cold revelation, Lucy's resolve only hardened. They didn't expect them to survive.

She would make sure they did.

Ignoring her questions, Jellal carried on. "We finally have freedom, don't you want to know what that's like?" He came closer, looming over her as she glanced at him over her shoulder, eyes hiding something she couldn't quite figure out.

"First we survive. Then we live," she said. Adamantly, she grabbed her pack and the few others she put together before storming out of the drop ship.

"Whatever the hell you want."

Lucy paused at the entrance, looking back to him, gaze steeled. "Whatever the hell you want, Jellal." She hiked up the packs on her shoulder, leaving him in the drop ship as she went to find Levy again. She felt irritated, his expression burned into her mind, refusing to leave. She still wanted to know how he got onto the drop ship since the why was pretty obvious. The way he and Wendy smiled at each other warmed her heart and gave her something _good_ to focus on for a little bit.

"Here you go, Lev," Lucy tossed her one of the packs and set the others by her feet. "Couldn't find much, but it's better than nothing. There's just the matter of not knowing what's out there and nothing to really protect us." Which was the biggest thing and, in hindsight, Lucy should have tried to cooperate with Jellal a bit more since she saw he had a gun. But he grated her nerves in the worst way, and she wasn't having that. "Here, you're the better navigator. Probably," Lucy grinned as she gave Levy the map, the blue-haired girl giving an airy laugh. What good were tests and scores when it really came down to it. They were here now and who knew what would happen.

"So, who else is coming?" Levy asked, already studying the map. It wouldn't take her long to decide the best route to take.

"Good question." That was the next step—finding people to go with them. She knew Levy could easily get Jet and Droy, since they were both basically in love with her, but they weren't enough and they needed more people they could trust.

She scanned the area and a grin broke out on her face.

Loke.

They'd had their differences in the past—mostly involving his refusal to knock off his overdramatic 'lovey' talk to anything walking on two legs—but quickly got over them.

Lucy looked to Levy, "You go get Jet and Droy, I'll get Loke." Levy nodded and took off with a smile she knew would get the pair in an instant.

Making her way to Loke, Lucy smirked, wrapped her arm around his waist, and poked his cheek. He looked down at her, eye twitching as he glared at her finger. He hated it when people touched his face- a fact she knew and took full advantage of- and the irritation on his face was purposefully undisguised.

It quickly changed, however, to a flirty smile. "Why hello, princess, what sparked this lovely visit?" He wrapped an arm around her and adjusted his sunglasses with his free hand. Flirtatious banter was something that had quickly become a part of their friendship, but there was never any serious intent behind it. If anything, Loke was like her brother. He was someone she would do anything for, and she knew that whatever he said, he felt the same.

"Want to go on an adventure?" she asked, letting her arm drop and offering one of the packs.

He dipped into a small bow, accepting the pack as graciously as he could, "Anything for my darling Lucy." Rolling her eyes, Lucy gave him a playful nudge before gesturing for them to make their way back to Levy.

"Ready to go?" Levy gave Lucy and Loke a quick once-over. Jet and Droy flanked her on either side with their packs slung over their shoulders, equal expressions of adoration fixed on her.

_Poor things._

"Yeah, let's go." Lucy couldn't deny that she was extremely excited. To be able to see Earth and explore it—it was a dream come true. She never thought she'd get to see it.

With smiles and a thirst for adventure they set off into the woods, excitement coursing through their veins in anticipation of a new adventure.

Xxx

"So, it should be about five miles east from here."

The lake had been the perfect place to take a break and bask in the beauty of the sun. Birds chirped in the trees, leaves rustled in the wind, there was a river close enough to hear that they couldn't see where they were sitting. Levy was mapping out the rest of their course, being careful to leave marks on the trees with chalk from the dropship so they could easily find their way back.

"Five more miles?" Loke groaned, plopping down onto a log with exhaustion. "Haven't we walked twenty by now?"

"We've walked about four, Loke." Levy deadpanned, eyes not leaving the map in front of her. Grumbling in response, Loke rested his chin on his hand and kicked at the dirt with his heels.

Lucy snickered and shook her head with a smile. Loke was such a child sometimes.

She stretched her arms high behind her to pull at the knots in her back and looked back out at the lake in front of them. It was a beautiful sight. Rocks and trees surrounded the shore, the sun's rays sparkled off the shallow ripples—this was something she promised to keep in her memory forever.

_You would love it here, mom._

"Oh no."

Turning at the sound, Lucy looked at Levy with concern. The blue haired girl stared at the map with wide eyes and a hand covering her mouth.

"Levy?" Lucy stood and walked over to her friend, knowing that it could be nothing good. The rest of their group crowded the small girl as she pointed to a patch of green.

"I should've noticed this sooner. But there isn't supposed to be a lake here."

One beat.

"We're on the wrong damn side of the mountain."

Two beats.

"Are you _fucking_ kidding me?" Loke growled, snatching the map from her to get a look himself.

"Loke…" Lucy didn't know what to say. It was her fault for dragging him along without really thinking about the consequences, and she didn't know what to do. It made sense though. Their map was three hundred years old, it was bound to have some discrepancies, but that only meant that there was most likely a lot more wrong with it. They might not even be heading in the right direction.

"Well I guess that only means one thing!" Levy stood, grabbed the map back from Loke, and stuffed it back in her bag. With hands on her hips, she stared them all down. "We've got to cross the water and go as far as we think is safe before nightfall. We won't get anything done if we don't try!"

Levy's enthusiasm had Jet and Droy cheering her on, and Lucy chuckling at their chanting. She couldn't help her smile as she grabbed her pack and walked over to Loke, resting a hand on his shoulder. His gaze was firmly fixed on the ground, both sad and deep in thought. Lucy frowned. It was a shitty situation. The whole thing was. None of them agreed to go to Earth, and none of them were ready for it.

"Hey," she started, giving his shoulder a squeeze. "Cheer up, yeah? We'll get through this. I know we will."

He glanced at her before he looked back at the lake and tilted his head to the sun. "It really is beautiful, isn't it?"

With a smile and nod, she grabbed his hand and led him over to the others. "Yeah, it is."

They joined Levy, Jet and Droy by one of the larger rocks along the shore. Levy smiled and hooked a thumb over her shoulder, the three of them had found the river.

Water from upstream shimmered a foot or two over a thick, submerged rock-face. "Found an old bridge, I think," Levy prodded at the rocks in the water with the tip of her boot.

"Think it's safe to cross?" Lucy swallowed at Levy's movements, suddenly overly cautious of their new environment. She didn't know what was in the water, or hell, whether the water itself was even safe.

"It's pretty shallow here and the rocks seem to go all the way across from what I can see." Levy took a tentative step forward, water coming up to her ankles. The rubber of her heel shifted under her weight and Lucy's heart leapt into her throat. This was dangerous. She shouldn't be doing this alone.

But by the time Lucy looked up from Levy's boots to tell her just that, she was already halfway across the river.

Panic quickly took hold of her, and Lucy scrambled toward the riverside, feet moving of their own accord. Levy was getting farther and farther away, Jet and Droy lazily following behind her. If she didn't do anything...if she kept going—

_No._

_Come back._

Lucy felt a hand on her arm tugging her back, but she ripped herself away. She needed to get to her friend. It wasn't safe. It _wasn't safe._

"Levy!" Lucy yelled—making her way across the lake—eyes catching those of her friend, safe and sound, and for a moment she thought it would be okay.

A high-pitched whirr in the air had her stomach dropping.

And then there was a spear in Levy's chest.

Blood rushed in her ears, running cold, and almost in slow motion Levy crumpled to the ground.

And then she was screaming.

"Levy!"

She tore toward the other side of the river, struggling against arms now encasing her, trying to get to her friend who was dying, if not already dead.

Another whirr. Another spear just narrowly missing her nose.

"Lucy, we can't go over there!" She barely heard Loke's yell over the adrenaline even though he was wrapped around her. She heard him calling to Jet and Droy, but they either couldn't hear him, or weren't responding. They stood halfway from the shore, paralyzed at the sight of their best friend on the ground, impaled, and probably bleeding to death.

A strong shake pulled her from shock.

"We need to get out of here!" Loke's voice was both urgent and comforting. How did he even manage that? A hand stroked through her hair to calm her down as he pulled her back toward the shore as quickly and safely as he could. "We'll come back. We'll come back and get her. I promise. Breathe, Lucy. Breathe for me."

Her breathing started evening out, shallow breaths turning into long, stuttering gulps through her nose and out her mouth. In and out, in and out. Her fingers ached, curled into his shirt, and eyes cleared of tears. She looked over her shoulder to Levy and bit her lip.

_We'll come back, Levy. Hang on._

With one last deep exhale, she gave Loke a slight nod, telling him she was okay now.

Loke helped her to the shore, picked her up as soon as she was out of the water, and carried her as fast as he could back to the woods. The sound of Jet and Droy's feet hitting the water and thumping behind them calmed her nerves, so she concentrated on that.

Loke sat her down against a tree and shoved his pack inside hers before slinging it back over his shoulder. He looked at her, concern and anxiety all over his face as he pulled her to her feet.

An arrow bit into the bark of the tree where she'd just been sitting.

They didn't have time to look back. Twigs cracked beneath their feet, large branches snapped in the trees around them. Lucy hastily wiped away new tears as she kept pace with Loke. She could hear Jet and Droy's muffled cries behind her as they picked up the pace, finding each tree Levy had marked on their way.

Her voice barely carried over the sound of their heavy breathing.

_"We're not alone."_

 


	2. Weakness is Death, Fear is Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natsu hated his life on the personal guard for the chief of Trigeda, Acnologia. But he had no other choice if he wanted to protect the people he loved. But when he's pushed past his moral boundaries, what will he do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations at the bottom! 
> 
> Oh ho lookie it's Natsu's POV from chapter 1! Exciting!

**Chapter 2: Down Here, Weakness is Death, Fear is Death**

* * *

"What the hell?"

Fire blazed in the sky, bright and blinding as it descended, moving closer and closer to the ground. Natsu's eyes fixed on it, at first thinking it was a star, but the closer it got, the less likely it became.

A large group gathered, surrounding Natsu, all looking up at the sky. The younger children muttered to each other about it being a falling star, just like he'd thought it was, but those who were older knew better.

This was dangerous.

A heavy weight settled in the pit of Natsu's stomach, fear of the unknown creeping up on him.

" _Vieda_." Natsu tensed at the familiar voice and his back straightened as he turned to face Acnologia.

Natsu looked up at him. "Chief?"

"They're from the sky— _Skaikru_. They are not welcome here." A shiver ran down Natsu's spine at Acnologia's menacing expression and he nodded at the chief's words as he hid his anxiety.

A new clan.

 _Skaikru_.

The unfamiliar word sounded strange in his mind.

Even if there  _were_  people falling from the sky, they wouldn't last long if Acnologia's expression was anything to go by.

He couldn't believe it. He didn't  _want_  to believe it.

The legends had spoke of those from centuries past who'd travelled to the sky, but he thought they would all be dead by now. It was inevitable. How would they grow food, or even get  _water_? They were in space, where there was nothing but stars and the moon.

Besides, even if there were people coming down, those flames would've surely engulfed them.

"Come," Acnologia barked. He strode to the main war hut and paused at the entrance, looking back. "Gajeel!"

"What?" It was muffled. From the other side of the hut.

"Did you get everyone?"

"No."

"Well hurry the fuck up. Get the council members. We gotta figure out our defense. Go  _now_." With that, their Chief disappeared inside.

Reluctantly, Natsu made his way over, Sting sidling up next to him. He quirked a curious eyebrow at the blond, earning a mere shrug from him.

It was clear to him that Sting also had his doubts. He'd never been as good as Natsu at hiding his feelings.

Natsu kept his face neutral and shoulders pushed back as he entered the hut. If he wanted to stay alive, he couldn't let his guard down. Not around their chief.

Being part of the chief's personal guard was never in Natsu's plans, yet here he was, thanks to being a protective idiot. He never would've volunteered if he'd thought there was any other way to protect Romeo or one of the other kids from being selected.

Taking his seat at the round table, Natsu glanced to the rest of the room—Laxus and Cobra on either side of Acnologia, Sting and Rogue beside Cobra.

He narrowed his eyes at Gajeel who sat beside him, cool air following him from the outside. His obvious pleasure at being back here once again written all over his face, no doubt aching to kill.

Disgusting.

Not to say that Natsu didn't love a good fight himself. He just didn't like killing for pleasure like the others seemed to.

"The legends spoke of the sky people and how one day they would return," Acnologia stood, expression hard yet manic. "I cannot predict where their ship will land, but if they come into our territory," he gazed at each other them, grin turning sadistic as his eyes landed on Natsu, " _frag emo op_."

Natsu heard Gajeel let out a grunt of agreement, saw Cobra's smirk and the coldness in Acnologia's eyes, and made a vow to himself.

He would kill Acnologia, whatever it took.

The Chief assigned positions. Cobra and Laxus would cover the North and South, respectively, Sting and Rogue the East, Natsu and Gajeel the West. Natsu tuned out the rest. He didn't care about strategies or whatever else they were discussing.

Shuffling pulled Natsu from his thoughts as everyone stood and headed out of the hut, excitement and bloodlust clinging to them. It had been quiet recently, with the new Commander's coalition, not many opportunities for blood to have blood.

The needless wars and senseless killing had stopped for the most part. Natsu had been able to spend more time with Romeo and the other children, grateful to keep them from the danger the other krus could be, and teach them to how defend themselves—not only physically but mentally.

 _Never show weakness._ He told them, fiercely.  _Weakness is death. Fear is death. Don't show your fear._

"Let's go, Salamander." The gruff sound of his reluctant partner broke him away from his thoughts. He turned to face Gajeel, and with a nod, grabbed his bow and arrows. He followed Gajeel to the trees, the pair moving quickly and quietly as they approached their border near the mountain, neither saying anything.

They never really got along, though Natsu didn't get along well with any of the guard for that matter. They enjoyed killing, he didn't. It was as simple as that. If tolerated any of them, it was Sting and Rogue—mostly because he'd helped teach them to fight, and they knew when to spare a life.

The duo perched themselves up in the trees, facing the lake, waiting for the so-called ' _Skaikru_ ' to approach. Natsu still doubted that anyone could survive the fall on a flaming fireball. It could just be a falling star like he initially thought—even if that didn't make much sense either—besides, if there had been people in the sky for all these years, why come down  _now_?

"This is pointless," Natsu grumbled as he adjusted his quiver. They would be stuck in this spot for days before Acnologia would send for them once he realized there were no invaders.

At least, Natsu hoped that was the case. If there really  _were_  sky people, they wouldn't know about the boundaries or the kill order, and Natsu would be forced to kill innocent people in order to save himself.

He had to figure a way out of this.

"It's the chief's command, don't complain." Gajeel spared him a single glance as he surveyed the land in front of them. "Unless you'd rather step down from the guard?"

Natsu saw him smirk. Gajeel knew the answer already. The day Natsu stepped down from the guard was the day Natsu died. He would never let someone take his place and have them be subjected to Acnologia's reign. It was his burden to bear.

_Protect those who cannot protect themselves, Natsu. Don't be afraid._

He wasn't sure what Igneel would think if he saw him now. He hoped that he'd be proud.

Voices drifted over from across the river.

Voices speaking english.

His pulse quickened and his gaze darted to Gajeel, fists clenched at the ever-expanding grin on his partner's face. He saw Gajeel's grip on the spear tighten, poised to attack, aching to launch it.

"Only if they cross, Gajeel," Natsu spoke low, not wanting to draw attention to themselves. He couldn't see the people yet, but he knew they were there, and they were most likely not  _Trigedakru_.

"Yeah, yeah," Gajeel waved him off, branch beneath him bending dangerously as he practically bounced on his heels.

A predatory grin warped his face.

Scowling, Natsu readied his bow and tried to figure a way out of this. He could only pray they didn't cross the river.

The group appeared from the woods dressed in strange clothes and, from what he could tell, weaponless.

He frowned and slackened his grip on his bow, curious. He couldn't understand why they'd wander this far from their crash site, if it was indeed  _Skaikru_ , and without weapons at that.

"Gajeel," he stated, hooking his bow over his head, string across his chest, "these people aren't dangerous. They don't even have weapons."

"Your point?" Gajeel scowled and his eyes narrowed, not bothering to spare Natsu a glance.

"Wouldn't it be better to question them? Ask them  _why_  they're here?" He was grasping at straws—a lost cause, and he knew it. Gajeel knew it too.

"The chief told us to kill 'em if they cross, so if they cross I'm gonna kill 'em. End of story."

Natsu sighed and turned to the odd looking group. They were young, two girls and three boys, probably around his own age. They were discussing something, looking at a big piece of...something with markings on it. What was it? They were pointing to it and then looking up and around. What were they doing? Maybe he could get a closer look—

His heart clenched at that. He and Gajeel were here to kill them. They couldn't come closer. They needed to leave.

There was a loud exclamation from the orange-haired boy as he ripped the...thing...from the blue-haired girl. The rest of them looked worried. Uneasy.

Hope bloomed in his chest for a moment.

But then the white thing was tucked away,  _Skaikru's_  faces changed from worry to resolve, and Natsu held his breath.

They'd found the old bridge, a path that Natsu and the rest of the clan used to cross the river when they were hunting or when the kids wanted to explore. Natsu chewed his lip, hoping they'd be too scared to cross. But then the blue haired girl stepped in the water, and Natsu could practically smell the smugness coming from Gajeel.

He let out a shaky breath, dread running cold in his veins as he watched the young, innocent,  _ignorant_ , girl practically  _skip_  across the water, distantly hearing someone call her name.  _Levy_.

Two of the boys followed.

And then the blonde hurried out, and Natsu could see the desperation on her face—the worry.

A lump settled in his throat. Constricting Heavy. He wanted to scream at them to _get. Back._

She stepped out of the water and onto the land— _their_  land—with a wide grin from her apparent success. Natsu whipped to look at Gajeel's readied arm and lust for blood in  _One_.

Levy turned to her friends, smile only growing.

 _Two_.

Gajeel's left arm extended to aim, the other bent, readying to release.

 _Three_.

Gajeel launched the spear. A perfect throw. Straight for the girl. No curve.

He knew without a doubt it'd hit it's mark.

A scream and a frozen smile. Eyed wide. Shocked and empty. Forever etched into his mind. His heart plummeted. His stomach churned, horrified at Gajeel and what he had done.

He saw the rest of the group try to get to her, but the orange-haired one stopped them. It looked like he was in physical pain to have to do so.

With how the blonde was digging her nails into him, he wouldn't be surprised if he was.

And then Gajeel threw another spear.

He missed his target by an inch.

Anger roiled in Natsu. He had to stop this.

"Fuck." He growled, unable to contain himself anymore. He leapt from the tree and he grabbed Gajeel by his ankle, yanking him down from his own branch. Gajeel reeled back, whirling on Natsu, his third spear now angled at him.

"What the  _fuck_ , Natsu!"

Natsu didn't care. He shoved the point out of his face and yanked the spear away from Gajeel. "This is wrong, Gajeel. They're defenceless."

He quickly grabbed an arrow from his quiver and shot it out to the water.

A warning.

Though, he hoped at this point the message was already clear to the group.

They needed to  _get the fuck out._

His hands clenched as he looked back to Gajeel.

Gajeel was  _pissed_.

And Natsu knew he was about to make it worse, but he didn't give a flying fuck at the moment.

"You should be  _proud_." He made the hatred clear in his snarled words, spitting them at the black-haired male. "You're turning into our Great Chief. Maybe someday  _you'll_  kill someone's innocent father as they beg  _you_ for mercy, just like he did."

He'd struck a chord with Gajeel, he knew. He didn't need to see the flicker of regret interrupt his gratified, murderous expression.

But then it was gone and Gajeel was advancing on him.

" _Natrona_." Gajeel spat, fist flying towards Natsu. The hit struck his jaw, his head snapping to the side, body twisting with it from the force.

He could already feel the bruise forming and metal rolling over his tongue.

He stood, shocked for a moment, before spitting at the ground and turning to look at Gajeel, tongue poking the inside of his cheek in frustration.

Natsu stayed expressionless, no pain or fear, as he met Gajeel's glare head on.

"I may be a traitor, but at least I'm not a mindless follower of a dictator. You  _know_  these people aren't dangerous. You know they're innocent." He squared his shoulders and ignored the throbbing in his jaw.

"They're  _Skaikru_ , Salamander," Gajeel argued, hand flying to the sky, "they've been living in the  _stars_! They ain't fucking innocent and I'm gonna prove it." He turned his back on Natsu, took a few steps, then stopped, looking over his shoulder.

"Though I doubt you'll still be alive to see I'm right," he spat, letting out a humourless laugh before taking off in the direction of their home, not once looking back.

Natsu never expected anything less from Gajeel.

He turned to face Levy, absently scratched at his face, and winced.

He really was an idiot sometimes.

 _So much for never stepping down_ , he thought, frustrated.

But he couldn't have stopped himself.

These people were helpless, their knowledge of this world limited, as was his of theirs. They didn't know any better. That didn't mean they should be killed for it.

He turned back to the water just as they disappeared into the safety of the trees.

 _Good_ , he thought,  _flee_.

He looked around, spotted some comfrey plants, and grabbed a few on his way to the girl. Gajeel was a good shot, but he'd been a fair distance away when he'd thrown the spear. With any luck it wouldn't have gone all the way through and she'd still stand a chance.

He dropped to his knees next to her, taking care to not pull out the spear as he moved his hand under her small body. He sighed in relief as he felt only clammy skin, no trace of the spear or blood. He lay her back down, double checking for blood on his fingers, before he moved to her wrist to check for a pulse. It was faint, but it was there.

He couldn't believe it.

With a quick prayer to  _Pramheda_ , Natsu gripped the spear around and took a deep breath before he pulling it straight out, quickly and carefully.

He heard a sharp intake of breath followed by a pained groan, and his head snapped to her face. He froze for a brief moment at the sight of her eyes open, the terror in them unnerving. Her lip quivered, tears falling from her eyes in silent horror, the pain too much for her to speak.

"It's okay," he reassured—in english—dropping the spear and reaching for her hand. He worked quickly, pressing leaves into the wound, giving her hand a gentle squeeze at her soft whimper. "I'm Natsu  _kom Trigeda_. I'm here to help." She barely reacted, either confused at the use of  _Trigedasleng_ , or she just wasn't processing his words. She was scared and in pain, and he was going to do his best to help her.

He placed pressure on her wound to stop the bleeding..

He bit his lip, worried.

He couldn't move her on his own, not without risking her injury getting worse, and he didn't want to leave her in case she wasn't there when he returned.

He wasn't just worried about the wild animals.

He watched as the girl's eyes closed and muscles went slack. Though he felt slightly guilty, he was grateful she wouldn't be awake and in pain. He could've taken on Gajeel and stopped this.

But he had been a coward.

He could leave her, go back home and deny Gajeel's accusations, which he knew Gajeel was making to Acnologia. He could say he just wanted to make sure the girl was dead, but nobody would buy it. Even if it were the truth, Acnologia was looking for a fight. He was looking for blood. He wouldn't want Natsu to be innocent.

Natsu ran his hands through his hair, frustrated. He couldn't think properly. He needed to figure something out. He needed to survive. He'd been doing it all his life. It was the one thing he was good at. So what was he supposed to do?

_Protect those who cannot protect themselves, Natsu._

Igneel's words always crept back. He knew what the right thing to do was.

But  _how_  was he supposed to do it?

With a deep breath, Natsu tried to calm his racing thoughts. There was a logical solution to this.

He spotted his quiver and he grabbed it, ripping the cloth he kept tied around it and wrapping it around her small frame to cover the wound best he could to apply a bit of extra pressure to it.

Natsu didn't typically work with the healers—he only knew the basics in case he got hurt and was by himself—but he couldn't help but feel a bit proud of his handy work. In any other case he would just go see Porlyusica for help. That wasn't an option at the moment though...obviously.

He slung his quiver with its remaining arrows over his shoulder as he tugged lightly on the makeshift bandage to make sure it would hold. When it did, he slid his hands under the girl and hoisted her up in his arms.

He could only hope that he would be able to hold the injury steady long enough to get her somewhere safe.

He adjusted his hold, making sure she was secure, and looked out at the lake in front of him. He was doing the right thing.

Right?

If he didn't bring the girl to them, she would probably die. He couldn't count on the others coming back for her, and it felt wrong to just leave her.

But thoughts of his friends and the kids from home plagued his mind. He couldn't leave them. Some of them didn't have parents anymore. He'd be abandoning them.

Maybe he could go back after bringing the girl back. He could talk to Acnologia, could beg him to believe him.

Taking a deep breath, Natsu took a step forward, foot hitting the water.

He could only hope he wouldn't regret this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigedasleng->English
> 
> Vieda (vay-da)-> Invaders
> 
> Trigeda (tree-ged -duh)-> Woods Clan
> 
> Skaikru (sky-crew)-> Sky people
> 
> Frag emo op (fe-rag em-oh ah-p) → Kill them all
> 
> Trigedakru (tree-ged-duh-crew )-> People of the woods clan
> 
> Natrona (nat-runna ) → Traitor
> 
> Pramheda (präm-head-da) → First commander
> 
> Kom (come) → From/of the


	3. Revenge Isn't Justice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Who the hell are you?” Jellal’s voice boomed, gun aimed at the grounder’s head. Lucy saw the grounder’s eyes focused on the barrel of the gun, eyes narrowed. He’d probably never seen one before, let alone know what it was. He didn’t say anything, just took a step back with his arms reaching behind his back slowly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3!! Hope you guys enjoy it! Back to Lucy's POV, but *gasp* interaction!!
> 
> Don't forget to leave a kudos or comment if you liked it, folks! :)

_ “Levy, I don’t know what to do,” Lucy cried as she kicked her bed, frustrated. “Don’t the people deserve to know they’re going to die in three months?”  _

 

Lucy was fucking  _ terrified.  _ Old memories ate at her, her stomach in knots while the rest of her body felt numb. If she had just kept her mouth shut, then maybe Levy...

 

_ Levy. _

 

Broken. Bleeding.  _ Dying. _

 

Her breathing was haggard and heavy, her mind a jumbled mess with her thoughts disconnected and running rampant.  They had somehow made it back to the camp, she surmised after looking up and seeing the dropship. She stumbled forward a few steps with tears freely flowing down her face, distorting her vision. She moved her hand to wipe the tears from her face and grimly realized that she was shaking. 

 

A broken cry ripped from her throat as she hunched over as she felt her chest constrict. Her hands moved to grip her hair in an unsuccessful attempt to regain her composure, her thoughts and emotions completely overwhelmed by guilt and fear.

 

It was all her fault.

 

Levy was only on the ground because of  _ her _ . Lucy had confided in her and told her about her mother’s plan to let the people of the Ark know that it was dying. She never even thought to consider the possibility someone could overhear them. 

 

Lucy clutched the bracelet on her wrist, thoughts of her mother and her pointless death running through her mind as her stomach lurched up to her throat. Maybe if she tried to stop her mother, tried to convince her that she had been  _ wrong _ , maybe she'd still be alive, maybe Levy and Lucy would still be in space where it was safe. At least, safer than the ground. 

 

But her mom  _ wasn’t _ wrong. The people  _ did _ deserve to know.  And they never would.

 

She could hear voices getting closer, her body still bent over with her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. She had to stay strong.  Or, at least, look it.  With great amount effort and the little energy she had left, Lucy stood up, back straight, wiping away the tears that still fell from her face.

 

"What the hell happened?"

 

Jellal.

 

She wanted to laugh. Of _course_ Jellal would be the one doing the questioning. It was only natural for the kids to look up to him after all ; he _was_ technically an adult and they were just a bunch of adolescent criminals who were sent down to save the lives of the innocent. 

 

"We're not alone," she breathed out, staring him dead on. She saw his eyes widen, shock and confusion appearing on his face. There were mutters coming from all around her at her words, and she could hear them try to figure out what she was talking about. "There are survivors. Levy, she..." she trailed off. She couldn’t say it. It would only make it too real — too painful.

 

"She got hit." She heard Loke finish and she gave him a half smile out of thanks. Her breath hitched at the look on his face —eyes red and jaw tense. He was trying to be strong, but she could tell that he was breaking down just like the rest of them.  

 

Her ears picked up the sounds of whimpering and her heart broke as she turned her head to see Jet and Droy with tears running down their cheeks, staring at the ground with an arm wrapped around each other. She felt her tears come back —though she doubted they even stopped in the first place—at the sight. They loved Levy just as much as she did, maybe even more. 

 

"We need to go back for her. She could still be alive." It wasn't a question — Lucy needed backup. It was true they didn't know what was out there, but there was no way was she leaving Levy for dead. "You  _ have _ to come with us, Jellal. You have to help us." Her voice cracked at the end, her words filled with pleading and desperation.

 

Lucy hated to ask him, she really did.

 

But he had a gun, and Levy was more important than her personal feelings.

 

She could see the pain, the conflict, in his eyes. He didn't know Levy,  _ hell _ , he didn't even really know  _ her.  _ There was no reason for him to help her. More importantly, they now had more life-threatening issues to worry about, like the fact that there are survivors who potentially wanted to kill them all. The crowd started to raise their voices and she could tell panic was starting to settle in with everyone and she was slightly surprised it didn’t happen sooner. 

 

"No," Jellal stated, voice firm, "it's a bad idea. We'd only get ourselves hurt — _ killed _ . We need a plan; you need to think this through, princess." His eyes were focused on her as he crossed his arms in resolve.

 

It's not like she expected him to say  _ yes _ .

 

But it still hurt.

 

"We need to build a wall," he shouted as he turned to the crowd of teens surrounding them, "make a defense to  keep them out." She wanted to yell, to scream at him to stop being such an  _ idiot _ , but he  _ wasn’t.  _ A wall was a good idea. She could admit that. It would hopefully keep the grounders at bay, make it known they weren’t welcome. But right now, to her, it didn’t matter. 

 

Nothing mattered except saving her friend, and she’d be damned if she stayed to build a  _ wall _ when she could be saving a  _ life _ . 

 

"What if it was Wendy?" she demanded, hands moving to her hips as she took a few determined steps forward, mustering up a look she hoped was intimidating. She had to look in control. His face contorted to one of complete shock and she saw his jaw clench, his hands curl into balls. His features changed to one of anger as he strode towards her, and for a moment, she was  _ scared _ . She stood her ground, however, not backing down from his towering frame. She knew she made him think twice, that he  _ might _ change his mind because the reality of the situation started to sink in, she could see it in his expression, the way his body was tense . 

 

She could only hope to God that he did because she needed him.

 

"But it's not," his voice was low, tall frame looming over hers, "it's  _ not  _ Wendy. I don't know Levy, she's not my only responsibility. And if I can save ninety-nine lives over one, I'm going to." She crumpled at his words, shoulders shaking as she held back her tears.

 

Her teeth chewed the inside of her cheek, not knowing what to say. Because he was right ,  Levy was one life out of a hundred. She didn't matter to him.

 

But Lucy couldn't help but hate him for it anyway.

 

His eyes softened as he looked at her, his hands moving to grip her shoulders, "I'm sorry, Lucy. I just can't risk it. And neither should you." Yanking her arms away from him she ignored the look of surprise on his face and turned on her heel before storming off, not caring what he had to say. She heard someone call her name, but she didn't care. She was already a few steps into the dropship with the hope that she would find a weapon,  _ anything, _ hidden away somewhere.

 

She was saving her friend. She could bring herself to care if she got hurt in the process. 

 

"Damnit." Her legs collapsed as soon as she got inside and away from everyone's prying eyes, her body hitting the floor. Sobs tore through her, chest tight and her back ached as she struggled to breathe. She moved her body until she was leaning against a wall and she brought her knees close, wrapping shaky arms around them.

 

She muffled her scream with the crook of her arm, frustration clawing its way out. She should have done better, done  _ more _ , to protect Levy, to protect everyone. But she  _ didn’t _ . And now she was lost, not knowing what to do, how to save her friend or hell, save  _ anyone  _ for that matter. 

 

A scream reached her ears, her head snapping to the dropship entrance with fear.

 

_ Were the grounders here? _

 

She could feel her heart rate pick up, hear and feel the pounding of blood as it moved through her body. She didn’t want to step outside, not sure what was waiting for her. Her whole body was shaking, nerves all over the place as she stood, paralyzed. 

 

Don’t be a coward, Lucy, she thought, slowly standing up while using the wall as support for her still shaking body. 

 

But then she heard someone scream.

 

They screamed Levy’s name. 

 

Lucy bolted, the fear being replaced by adrenaline as her legs moved without her telling them too, her thoughts focused on one thing, and that thing just happened to be in the arms of a grounder with  _ pink _ hair. If she wasn’t so focused on her friend she would’ve thought that strange, but she let the thought slide, eyes moving to focus on the blue,  _ blood stained, _ hair of her best friend. Her hands jumped to her mouth, heart plummeting at the sight. 

 

“Levy!” Jet and Droy raced to the grounder, taking her small frame into their arms, and he  _ let them _ . 

 

_ Why _ ? Why would he just  _ let _ them have her after trying to kill them?

 

She saw them carry her to the dropship, Wendy following close behind.

 

“Who the hell are you?” Jellal’s voice boomed, gun aimed at the grounder’s head. Lucy saw the grounder’s eyes focused on the barrel of the gun, eyes narrowed. He’d probably never seen one before, let alone know what it was. He didn’t say anything, just took a step back with his arms reaching behind his back slowly. 

 

Arrows. 

 

Lucy stepped forward until she stood beside Jellal, his eyes flicking to her briefly. “Get back princess, it’s dangerous.” 

 

“I’m fine, you have a gun, remember?” She saw his eyebrow quirk, gazed focused on the grounder in front of them who seemed to be studying his surroundings.

 

He was looking for a way out.

 

“We can’t let him leave.”

 

Jellal didn’t need the reminder. He tightened his grip on the gun as he shifted forward, “I said, who  _ the hell _ are you?” 

 

She saw the grounder’s chest heave as he let out a breath, eyes darting quickly around their crash site. His hand latched onto one of his arrows, ready to fight, and Lucy knew what they had to do.

 

“ _ Jellal,”  _ she barely got the word out, eyes jumping to the grounder as he quickly grabbed his bow and attached an arrow to it, but he wasn’t as quick as Jellal. 

 

A deafening bang rang out and she threw her hands up to cover her ears, wincing and shutting her eyes on reflex. She heard a grunt and opened her eyes to see the grounder on the ground clutching his leg where she could see blood seeping out from his pants. 

 

“Tie him up!” Jellal ordered after a quick second, feet moving quickly toward the grounder, gun aimed at his head once again. Lucy followed warily, eyeing the grounder with skepticism and a touch of fear. Their eyes met, and she saw something like recognition flash through him, and that put all her doubts to rest.

 

He  _ had _ been there. He was the one who fired the arrow. 

 

Loke came up to them, rope in hand with Cana and a few others in tow as they held the grounder down and tied his hands behind his back.

 

“We’re going to have a chat, me and you.” A shiver ran through Lucy’s body at the sound of Jellal’s voice, cold and dangerous. His eyes flicked to hers as he gestured for the others to pick the grounder up. 

 

“We need to secure him in the dropship.” It was a question, one she quickly answered as she ran off to the dropship, an unsettled feeling hitting her in her gut. She was  _ nauseous.  _

 

_ What was Jellal going to do? _

 

She spotted Wendy as she made her way through the door, ripping cloths into long strands, most likely for bandages. Her eyes swept the room until she spotted blue hair, her body freezing at the sight. She wasn’t ready to face Levy, to see how badly she was injured, to feel the hopelessness of not being able to save her once again. So she kept walking until she reached the ladder on the main floor, climbing up until she reached the second level. 

 

Taking a deep breath, Lucy ran her hands down her face then through her hair as she tried to regain her composure, her  _ sanity _ . 

 

What were they doing? Sure, they were all criminals, but they weren’t inherently bad. They weren’t these people, these  _ grounders. _ A foreboding feeling settled in her stomach as she found a perfect spot to tie up the grounder. She was scared, scared that they were turning into their parents, into something they  _ weren’t. _

 

The grounder would have to stand the whole time, she briefly realized, but this would be the best option. But was this the  _ right _ thing to do? Maybe the grounder would cooperate, would tell them about this world they unknowingly landed in.  She snorted at her own thoughts, they had  _ shot _ him, why would he tell them anything? She  found round hooks on either side of the small room and attached a rope to them, hoping it would be enough. The sounds of footsteps and voices became louder and clearer, letting her know people were entering the dropship. 

 

A thought at the back of her mind still nagged at her, still wondered  _ why _ the grounder would bring Levy back, and, from the looks of it, he tried to  _ save _ her. She tried to push the thought away, but she couldn’t. 

 

Maybe they were generalizing, maybe not  _ all _ grounders were bad. 

 

A grunt sounded from near the ladder and she could hear heavy breathing as suddenly a head of blue popped up and Jellal climbed out, reaching back down before he pulled the grounder up and hauling him the rest of the way, face slamming against the floor with a grunt. Jellal grabbed him under his shoulders, picking him up, and Loke followed up from the ladder quickly, eyes landing on Lucy and he made his way over to her. 

 

“You okay?” His hand rested on her arm, gentle and unsure. 

 

Her eyes darted to the ladder at sounds of more people coming up, watching Jet and Droy appear, a jolt of pain hitting her heart at the sight. “Yeah, fine,” mouth forming into a half smile, barely even managing that,  she stepped away and to the ladder, not looking back at the group. 

 

She didn’t want to see it. 

 

She  _ knew _ Jet and Droy would want revenge, to do to that grounder what he did to Levy, so she made her way back down to the main level and approached the young blue haired girl slowly. Wendy turned when she heard her footsteps, giving Lucy an encouraging look. “I think she’s going to be fine,” she said, washing the dirt off of Levy’s face. 

 

Relief washed over Lucy at Wendy’s words, her shoulders finally feeling light and her back no longer aching as much. She trusted Wendy; after all, her mother was a doctor on the Ark and Lucy was sure that Wendy didn’t spend thirteen years under a floor not learning anything.    

 

It had always been a point of curiosity for Lucy — how a doctor on the Ark was able to hide a pregnancy so well. 

 

Lucy’s eyes scanned Levy’s body, landing on the bandages wrapped around her chest and shoulder. She swallowed hard, the reality of how close the spear came to shattering Levy’s collarbone sinking in. It could have been  _ a lot _ worse. 

 

She grabbed Levy’s hand, listening to her unsteady breathing, saw the blood on her clothes and she couldn’t take it anymore. “Come get me when she wakes up,” she commanded, turning on her heel and heading back up the ladder. She would hopefully be able to help with the grounder situation, unlike the one she was leaving. In all honesty, she would rather deal with a bloodthirsty grounder than her dying friend. 

 

“How many of you are there?” She heard Jellal before she saw him as she hoisted herself up onto the floor. He was standing dangerously close to the grounder, a knife twirling in his hand, she assumed to serve as intimidation. 

 

The grounder didn’t say anything, eyes landing on her instead. She shifted under his gaze, unsettled by the intensity of his stare. She moved closer to Jellal, eyes never breaking contact. “Has he said anything?” 

 

Jellal turned his head, her eyes snapping to meet his. “Not a word. I bet he doesn’t even speak English.” 

 

Lucy chewed her lip, looking back at the grounder in curiosity. In reality, it would make sense if he didn’t speak or understand English — it had been three hundred years, after all. The human race on the ground could have reverted to a different common language, like French, German, or even Dutch. There were many possibilities, and for them to just assume that they would speak English was idiotic. 

 

“How can we get him to talk, then?”

 

As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them. Jellal held up his knife, raising a brow along with it as he stared at her, the look on his face obvious. 

 

They would do whatever it takes. 

 

Shaking her head, she grabbed his arm, lowering it. “No,” she stated, firmly, “we’re not doing that. We’re not animals.” 

 

“No, but if we don’t get answers from him then we’ll be animal  _ food _ .” His implication was clear and Lucy swallowed. 

 

“We’ll find another way.” Her mind was in turmoil, not knowing what to do. She didn’t want to sink to the grounder’s level, they were better than that. On the other hand, though, she was so  _ angry, _ so scared. She wanted him to pay for what he did, even if he wasn’t the one who threw the spear. 

 

But this —this wasn’t right; he tried to save Levy, didn’t he?

 

“Well until you can figure that out, Lucy, we’re doing this my way,” Jellal looked back to the grounder, tugging his arm away from Lucy and bringing the knife up to the grounder’s face, “I’m assuming you know what this is, and if you don’t start talking soon,” he pushed the knife up against the grounder’s throat, drawing a small amount of blood, “things will start to get a lot worse for you.” 

 

Lucy could feel her heart pounding, not knowing what to do. She looked around the room, spotting Loke, who looked as equally as distraught as she was, and Jet and Droy who stood with their arms crossed scowls on their faces as they looked at the grounder in disgust, obviously wanting Jellal to hurt him. 

 

Lucy took a deep breath and started to pace around the room, twirling her bracelet round and round on her wrist. 

 

“Let’s try this again —who are you?”

 

Nothing.

 

The grounder tugged at his restraints, his muscles contracting as he scowled at the group, eyes searching the room and she could see a hint of curiosity appear on his face. Narrowing her eyes, Lucy stepped up to him, ignoring Jellal’s protests and Loke, whose hand was suddenly on her shoulder. She glanced at him and saw the worry etched on his face. 

 

“I’m fine. He’s tied up, remember?” She gave him a small smile before refocusing her attention on the grounder, eyeing his hair briefly. “You remember me, don’t you?” She thanked whatever god was listening for not letting her voice crack. Because on the inside she was trembling, the events still all too fresh. But she had to do this. For Levy. 

 

The grounder just looked at her, ceasing his movements. His eyes bore into hers, dark and dangerous, but she saw beyond that, saw something...curious. But more than that, she saw guilt. She hoped she did, anyway. 

 

“Why did you save Levy?” His jaw tensed but gave no other indication that he recognized what she was saying. 

 

Maybe he didn’t; maybe he just recognized Levy’s name from her shouting. 

 

She sighed, breaking eye contact. She couldn’t look into his eyes anymore, they were too intense, too... _ something _ . She couldn’t figure it out, figure  _ him _ out. 

 

“I know you’re not all bad,” she started again, holding out a hand to Jellal to stop him from telling her to leave, “you tried to save my friend. And that’s enough for me to have a small hope that we can all get out of this situation in one piece, but you need to talk. You need to answer our questions.”

 

When he didn’t move, didn’t even flinch at her words, she sighed. He didn’t understand her. It was pointless.  _ All  _ of it was pointless. 

 

“We should just let him go,” she suggested, defeated. He wasn’t going to tell them anything—not like this.

 

“What the hell are you on, Lucy?” Jet exclaimed, voice angry as Loke rushed over to hold him back from doing something stupid. 

 

“Lucy,” came Jellal’s voice, his hand grabbing her arm gently as he spoke to her in a low, soft voice, “you should go. You don’t have to be here for this—go see how Levy’s doing.” 

 

Taken aback by his suddenly kind gesture, she just nodded, walking over to the hatch and climbing down the ladder without another word. He was right; she didn’t have to bet there, she didn’t  _ want _ to be there anymore.

 

“Wendy?” She called out as she walked over to where the two blue-haired girls were. 

 

“Hey Lucy,” Wendy greeted softly, sitting on the floor, with her back against a wall. 

 

“How’s she doing?” Lucy concentrated on looking at Levy’s face, not able to look at her bandages. She bit her lip at the site, her guilt clawing its way back, gripping at her throat. 

 

But Wendy didn’t get a chance to answer. 

 

Levy groaned, eyes opening slightly and Lucy wanted to throw her arms around her and hug her and cry and yell at her for making her worry.

 

But she didn’t. She settled for grabbing Levy’s hand, giving it a tight squeeze with a watery smile. 

 

“Morning sunshine,” she tried to sound cheerful as if she hadn’t been speared and left to die only a few hours ago. “How are you feeling?”

 

Levy blinked, seemingly confused as to where she was, before she gasped, eyes opening wide and she tried to sit up, only stopped by Lucy’s quick reflexes and Wendy who had jumped to her feet the moment Levy made a sound.

 

“Natsu,” she rasped and Wendy fetched her some water at her creaky voice, “where—did he bring me here?”

 

Lucy bit the inside of her cheek, not wanting to jump to any conclusions. “Who’s Natsu?” She gave Levy’s hand another encouraging squeeze.

 

“He’s—he saved me. Natsu  _ kom _ — _ kom Trige-Trigeda _ .” Levy coughed and Wendy gently tipped Levy’s head up to give her a small drink of water. Levy coughed again, face contorting to one of pain. Lucy looked to Wendy, lips pursed together in worry. “His hair was pink.” Lucy saw Levy scrunch her nose at the thought, and Lucy knew that Levy was thinking how strange it was. Lucy’s mind went somewhere else, however.

 

It had to be him. 

 

“He spoke to you?” Her voice was shaky, head turned to look up the hatch leading to the next level of the dropship. 

 

“Yeah, but I don’t—what’s wrong, Lucy?” Levy’s voice was confused, concerned. Lucy wanted to laugh at the thought of Levy being worried for her at the moment. 

 

“I’ll be right back.” 

 

She ran to the ladder, climbing up fast and uneasy, thoughts running wild.

 

If the grounder— _ Natsu _ —could speak English, if he helped Levy, what was he playing at? Why was he letting them hurt him, tie him up?

 

“Lucy?” Jellal questioned, turning to look at her in surprise, “I thought you went to check on Levy?” 

 

Her eyes darting to his hand, seeing red. 

 

There was blood on his knife. 

 

“Stop!” She yelled, racing over to him and grabbing the knife out of his hand before looking at Natsu, eyes spotting red on his hand. “Get him out of the restraints, now,” she demanded, tossing the knife to the other side of the room before she grabbed a nearby cloth and wrapped it around his injured hand, applying pressure to it. 

 

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Lucy?” Jellal exclaimed, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her away from Natsu.

 

“He’s not the enemy!” she cried, pushing her way out of Jellal’s arms. “He  _ helped _ Levy, don’t you get that?” She was in hysteric, breathing quick as her chest heaved as panic tried to take over and she couldn’t stop yelling at them. They were ready to torture someone—someone who didn’t  _ really _ deserve it. They were no better than the grounders they feared. 

 

“What the hell are you talking about?” 

 

She wanted to scream at him to stop being so ignorant, but she held it in, turning back to Natsu and untying one of the ropes holding him. “His name is Natsu,” she started, flicking her eyes to meet Natsu’s, his eyes softer now as he stared back. 

 

“How do you know that?” Jellal snapped, grabbing her hands away from the restraints.

 

“Because Levy told me. She’s awake, and she trusts him. So I do too.” 

 

A chuckle escaped Natsu, the sound deep and raw. “Natsu  _ kom Trigeda.  _ It means ‘of the woods’ in English. More simply put, the woods clan.”

 

She finished untying the restraint when Jellal released her hands, not saying a word. She trusted him not to hurt them. He had most likely been testing them, see what kind of people they were. 

 

She didn’t know what his motives were, or even if she really  _ should _ trust him, but she was going to find out. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> my updates on here might be slow as I post the chapters to tumblr first then ff.net, so if you want to read a chapter sooner I suggested following it on one of those platforms!! Hope you guys enjoyed :)


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